Sunlight comprises a range of wavelengths in the electromagnetic radiation spectrum including ultraviolet (UV), visible, and infrared (IR) radiation with the term “light” typically used in reference to the visible spectrum. The color of a pigment associated with a particular object is determined by the wavelengths of light reflected by the pigment and observed by the human eye. For example, sunlight or white light comprises a roughly equal mixture of wavelengths in the visible spectrum. When white light is incident on a pigment, some wavelengths of the white light are absorbed while others are reflected with the reflected wavelengths determining the color of the pigment. For most, if not all, heretofore pigments, reflectivity is strongly dependent on the angle of the light incident on the object. Accordingly, the pigment may reflect different wavelengths of light for different angles of incidence while absorbing others and the pigment exhibits a color shift for different angles of incident light and/or for different angles of viewing the pigment.
Similar effects can be found with UV and IR radiation. Specifically, for different angles of incidence, a pigment may reflect certain wavelengths of UV and/or IR radiation while absorbing other wavelengths. It is known that such absorption of UV and/or IR radiation can have undesirable effects. For example, when UV radiation is absorbed by a polymeric material, photo-degradation of the polymer, i.e. breaking of chemical bonds within the material, can cause cracking, chalking, color change and/or the loss of physical properties of the polymeric material. In addition, near IR radiation from the sun (780 nm-2100 nm) carries 53% of total solar energy, which, when absorbed, can cause heat to build up on a surface of an object and result in undesirable thermal conditions. For example, the efficiency and/or performance of HVAC systems within automobiles, buildings and other structures can be reduced when a surface does not reflect near IR radiation and heating occurs. Therefore, an improved UV and/or IR reflector that can reflect UV and/or IR radiation irrespective of the electromagnetic radiation incident angle would be desirable.